If you’re a photographer who has been in business for a while, then I’m willing to guess that you have a photography website.
Creating a website for your is an excellent way to show potential clients what to expect when working with you and exactly what you’re capable of.
However, like with anything online, there is a high risk of being scammed, others stealing your work to pass off as their own, or falling victim to others impregnating you and turning your reputation. These aren’t issues solely linked to having a website; however, the web presence and cultivating can increase the risk of this occurring.
However, you can take steps to keep yourself and your customers safe and protect your photography website, intellectual property, and reputation.
Watermark Images for Your Photography Website
If you shoot weddings or portraits, watermarking your images is a basic yet crucial step. By doing so, you’re not only protecting your work from theft but also ensuring that your customers are not exposed to potential scams or reputation damage. This practice gives you a sense of security and control over your work and your client’s safety.
Before you upload any work, you must ensure it is recognized as your work only. If others use it, it can be easily spotted and attributed back to you, not the person claiming to be the creator.
Secure Payments
Using a trusted payment gateway is a non-negotiable when it comes to online transactions. It not only helps you accept payments securely but also reduces the risk of scams and chargebacks. This added layer of security gives both you and your clients peace of mind and confidence in your business. A 3D secure payment processing portal can help you add that extra layer of protection for you and your clients.
Use a Model Release Before Posting on Your Photography Website
This is especially important if you’re sharing people’s children in the imagery on your website or the locations where you shoot your weddings or portraits.
Getting explicit consent for them to be featured on your website can help you eliminate the risk of a comeback due to you sharing images publicly. This goes for social media, too, if you want to protect your website from disgruntled clients or guests who don’t want to featured.
Make everyone sign model releases and consent forms, and do not publish images featuring people or places who have explicitly given consent. There are multiple reasons why people might not want their pictures or details online, and you need to respect this while protecting yourself.
A model release is especially important if you photograph minors and would like to use their images to promote your business. Get a model release signed by their parent/guardian before you post any of their images online.
Store Images Safely
It doesn’t matter how safe you think you are; someone will always be ready to swoop in and turn everything you’ve worked hard for. You need to store all of your images in a secure location, ideally a cloud server with high levels of security that is serviced directly on your website. You want to avoid your pictures falling into the wrong hands or opening up your website to hacks, so ensuring you use a secure server or file to hold your pictures is vital in boosting security.
Privacy Policy for Your Photography Website
Finally, a comprehensive website privacy policy is a must. It assures your clients that their information is safe and handled with care and shows that you value their privacy and are committed to providing a secure service. This step is crucial in building trust and respect with your clients.
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